In a statement, actor Shabana Azmi, writer Ramachandra Guha, former Chief of Indian Navy Admiral L. Ramdas, former Planning Commission member Dr Syeda Hameed, Air Vice Marshal (retd) Kapil Kak, Major General Sudhir Vombatkere (retd), danseuse Mallika Sarabhai, and musician TM Krishna, among others, have urged the Government of India to “immediately act to stop hate mongering by all sections in all forms.”
Issued in the wake of “the barbaric and brutal beheading of a person in Udaipur for a social media post defending an obnoxious and reprehensible statement against Prophet Mohammed during a TV discussion recently”, the statement says, “That it is done in the name of religion makes it even more condemnable.”
Stating that no religion, including Islam, allows individuals to take law into their hands and a due process of law is mandated by all faiths before any person is held guilty and punished”, the statement demands that the killers, already arrested, should be tried in a special court, which should give “the most stringent punishment possible that could be an example for others.”
Urging the Government of Rajasthan to ensure that “no violence takes place, and life and property of all citizens, especially the poor, is fully protected”, the statement says, the state government should provide “solace and all possible support to the family of the victim”, insisting, “Thorough investigation as to the involvement of groups/agencies, if any, should be the priority.”
The statement underlines, “The level of toxic hate, calls to violence and actual incidences of violence are on the rise for some years now and taking an epidemic form.” It regrets, “Social media has become the major platform for propagation of unbridled hate and calls for violence against whole communities that are not only totally illegal but have full potential to unleash communal violence across the country that could put our neighbourhoods on fire and irrevocably damage the nation itself.”
The signatories insist, “Given such a critical situation that has emerged in the country, the Government of India should immediately act to stop hate mongering by all sections in all forms. It should take unbiased and stringent action against any individual, group or section making provocative statements or issuing calls to violence or indulging in acts of violence.”
Asking the Government of India and state governments to “take all possible measures immediately to ensure the social media platforms cannot be used to spread misinformation and hate”, the statement adds, they should also ensure that “unbiased and appropriate actions are immediately initiated against all without any communal or sectarian consideration that alone can ensure that all fear the law and follow it.”
According to the signatories, “It is to be understood that breaking of law by any sections without fear of legal action not only emboldens them to engage in more violations but could also result in resentment among other communities inciting them to take to violence that can degenerate into a vortex of devastation that can cause irrevocable damage to our country as a whole.”
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